


Seeking the Truth

by dindindin



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 01:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dindindin/pseuds/dindindin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren has no idea how many times he thought he’d found “the one”, as cheesy as that sounds. People around him tell him that he’ll find the right person eventually, but it doesn’t seem like he will anytime soon. Does the right person even exist? And if that person is real, then what are the chances of finding them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. #1: Time to Make History

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty ambitious project, so we'll see where it goes. There will be many pairings, and I'll try my best to write quite a bit about each -- it won't be a story where one character has the upper hand and the others barely feature. In fact, I have no idea whatsoever who I want Eren to end up with! I like Eren with basically everyone (aside from Armin and Mikasa. Sorry!), so I don't know if he'll end up with Jean or Levi or Hanji or maybe even Connie (I'm joking... maybe). 
> 
> This is the start of what I call the "Jean arc". I really, really like this couple so I hope I'll do justice to them without falling in all the clichés possible.

Jean comes in for the third time that week, a frown on his face and a printed-out picture in his hand. He stares as it meticulously, as if it’s going to tell him exactly what he needs. Eren doesn’t say a word as he comes in and looks around. It ended up in an almost fist-fight the previous two times, and he really doesn’t want to lose his job by fighting with a potential customer. Besides – it’s actually quite fun to look at Jean’s face as it scrunches up every time he doesn’t find the right thing.

Eventually his manager comes to the front. She’s middle-aged with a pudgy stomach that she has long since stopped hiding, even chubbier cheeks, deep-set eyes surrounded by wrinkles, and thin lips pressed into a fine line. As usual, she’s dressed chic enough to be called the owner of a jewelry store; a purple cashmere sweater with a turtleneck, a black skirt reaching her knees, black tights underneath, and high pumps, adorned by some crystals. On her fingers are countless of rings, and beneath her short auburn hair two earrings shine through, round rubies fitting her pale olive skin.

“Is there something you are looking for, dear?” she asks, in a purely non-patronizing way. Jean turns around, apparently not expecting anyone to be talking to him. He shares a quick look with Eren before shaking his head, his eyes darting back to the paper almost immediately.

She looks at Eren, waiting for him to inform her of the current situation, but he shakes his head. Her eyes tell him that she’ll be in the back and to be _nice_ , before she shuffles back, careful not slide over the sleek floor.

While Jean is looking around and becoming more frustrated by the second, Eren has time to think about all the strange things. For one, what is his reason for being there? Eren kind-of-kind-of-not knows Jean from college, and he knows the other has no girlfriend to speak of (begrudgingly admitted, Jean is quite popular). Even so, it seems he has a special someone in mind because otherwise he wouldn’t have been coming back there three times in one week.

Second, why is he carrying a picture with him? Eren knows that it’s handy to have a visual, but he also knows that Jean is carrying a smartphone right now (it’s in his back pocket, even), so why print a picture?

He stops thinking when Jean sighs heavily and turns his way.

“You work here, right?” Eren has to bite his lip not to give a sarcastic reply. _No, I just happen to hang around a jewelry store multiple times a week and address customers just because. Sure._

“Yes, I do.” _I’m sure you have noticed my presence, no?_

“Then can you help me?” _Well… Can I?_

“Yes, I can.”

Jean doesn’t seem to have an answer to this anymore, so Eren stalks over and grabs the picture out of his hand, customer service be damned (also, they’ve done worse to each other. And he has been restraining himself since the minute Jean walked in. He’s not _that_ patient!).

“This isn’t a picture,” Eren says. Jean seems more than a little ticked off as he says _of course not, you moron, why would I carry around a picture if I had my phone?_

That’s surely one of Eren’s questions solved, but it does bring up another. “Then why don’t you save this as a note on your phone?”

“Just help me already.”

* * *

 

The next twenty minutes are spent looking around the store and hearing, “no, that’s not it either” repeatedly from Jean.

“Why don’t you look somewhere else if you can’t find it here?” Eren finally asks, as he settles against a wall, arms crossed. Nothing seems to be good enough, and it’s not like Eren had an interest in the assortment of accessories to begin with.

“Because…” Jean starts to blush. Eren’s eyes widen, even though he doesn’t realize what’s going on completely yet. “You’re here. I don’t want to go to another shop.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is always welcome. See a mistake? Tell me. See an inconsistency? Tell me. Just want to write some commentary? Please, do so! As someone who loves writing, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing my own work improve.
> 
> Chapters will (hopefully) be longer in the future, but that depends on a lot of circumstances. I'll update when I have a chance, so that could be tomorrow/the day after tomorrow if I manage to.


	2. #2: Your Affection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, hopefully this lives up to expectations. (Not really much to say, I guess).

Eren is confused. No, that's a gross underestimation. He feels unbalanced, baffled, stumped... His mind is a swamp full of thoughts; frogs, jumping around and drowning to their deaths in the murky water, and the sole thing that comes out of his mouth is a soft, "Huh?". Jean stares back. The red on his cheeks is fading and the gentle look in his eyes becomes harsh and glaring (and it comforts Eren, because it's more like Jean than the confession and the sweet looks).

"You heard me," Jean finally says. He's staring right at Eren, an undeniably courageous act considering the events that had transpired. Eren's not the one confessing and even he has trouble maintaining eye contact. The only reason he hasn't stopped to stare at the ground is his inability to take a loss (and in his eyes, they're definitely having some kind of strange fight).

"I did. That doesn't mean I understand." They've only met thrice, and even those shouldn't be considered meeting, especially not pleasant enough to get a _confession_ through. Jean sighs in a way that means  _are you stupid?_ and Eren feels his blood boiling yet again, hands clenched against his sides. He turns around and grabs a tiny stressball from the counter. Mikasa had given it to him years prior, after he had lost his temper and beat up a kid years younger than him with barely a decent reason (Eren found the derogatory comment and accompanying stare at his sister's breasts enough reason, but she hadn't agreed with his opinion). It's old and yellow (supposed to be a "calming color"), with a faded smiley on it. Years of carrying it around and twisting and pulling it had done no good, but he didn't care too much about its state. 

"Look, you treat me like a normal human being and don't act all fake around me. I like that. It's not like I'm confessing my love to you, okay?" He schratches his ears at this, not even bothering to look at Eren's face. Suddenly, the white and superbly-polished tiles were more interesting. Eren shares this thought as he stares at the yellow ball of rubber. Three days might not be a lot, but Jean knew enough about Eren to be able to picture his incredulous facial expression, and Eren really didn't want to see the other's face at his wrong accusation.

"That's the only reason, man? You're a fucking moron, let me tell you that," Eren says. Jean looks ready to strike but there's something about the faint grin on Eren's face that states he isn't _completely_ serious.

"I may work here, but there are better jewelries out there if you want a gift for who-the-fuck-it-might-be. You could've just asked my number or something. Or talk to me at school."

The look of surprise on Jean's face catches even Eren off guard. "Wait. We go to the same school and you _know_ me?"

"I've seen you around, yeah. Come on, even locals have heard 'Kirstein is a swine' before!"

Eren finds out right then and there that Jean does not, in fact, know what people think of him. Another thing he finds out is that Jean is not _that_ bad to talk to. A bit slow on the uptake, but not that bad. That's why, when Jean is contemplating the new information Eren has given him, he pulls out his phone and types in "Jean" before asking the other's number. 

* * *

They end up meeting the next day. Eren's dressed warmly but can't help but shudder when they enter the little shop. December is cold as always, and he's one of those people who absolutely can't stand the cold. He glares at everyone he sees, which earns him a slap to the shoulder from Jean, who's standing next to him and sees how everyone shuffles away from the pair as if they're deliquents.

"You're scaring away everyone with your face, idiot," he says, not too kindly. This earns him a push back -- and soon both of them are threatening each other to take it outside. Eventually, a girl walks up to them. Unlike the other two waitresses in the shop, she doesn't seem to care about the pair.  She doesn't look too shabby; hair tied up in a messy bun, a couple of blond strands framing her diamond-shaped head. Her eyes are unfriendly, but striking in color; a gorgeous greyish blue. Eren is mesmerized until she opens her mouth.

"Shithead brought himself a shithead friend, huh?" When both of them look at her as if they're going to hit her, she continues. "Quit staring and order." 

Meanwhile, the place bumbles with activity. If the employees aren't happy with their jobs, they do a great job not showing it, as they smile and talk and generally create an incredibly pleasant mood. Most people in the shop are having romantic little dates or are meeting up with friends, and even the music is light and cutesy. It seems like they're the only table full of negativity. 

"You really are a bitch, Annie." Jean sighs and looks over at Eren, who is stuck between squirming in his seat from the uncomfortable situation, or glaring at Annie. "I want some cola." 

"Same for me," Eren says quickly. Annie scribbles down something and disappears. 

"So... What was that earlier about me being a swine?" It seems that Jean is finally at his breaking point. Since the previous day he had been wondering what Eren meant. He was a popular enough guy, wasn't he? Nice enough, too (at least sometimes), so he didn't really think that there'd be such rumors about him going around and reaching people he had never even seen before, such as Eren.

Eren quirks a brow. "It seems like you've managed to piss off more people than me and that what's-her-name waitress. Heartbreaker." 

Jean splutters and colors red again, and Eren has to admit that it's a funny sight. He also has to admit that he's warming up to the guy, especially when he acted all surprised over nothing special. Eren was also quite glad that their bombshell-of-a-waitress was taking her sweet time with their order. He may not have been as amused if Jean had spewn out cola over his face (in fact, that may have been enough to warrant a punch... well, a couple).

"Oh." Jean seems to have fallen silent, and Eren gives him time to mull things over, all the while watching the people in the shop. Annie finally struts up to them, carelessly putting their overly-full glasses on the table. That they spill over and the table has to be cleaned later on either doesn't cross her mind, or she simply doesn't care.  _Probably the latter,_ Eren thinks. Still, he admires Annie's appearance. She really is pretty.

"Do you want me to cut up your tiny dick, Jaeger?" she asks. Despite being a threat, it sounds like a simple PSA. It _would_ be admirable, if not for what she said. Eren can feel that there's something wrong with her statement (and it's not the "cut up your tiny dick" part, he can get over that. He's said worse before and it's not like she has ever seen him naked before, right? Okay, maybe he minds that part a little bit, too), but there's something else, but even with the excessive eyebrow furrowing he can't come up with it. Her words echo in his mind and suddenly, it clicks.

"Wait. How do you know my name?" Jean, who certainly does not know his last name and thought it had been an insult of some sort (it's not like he knew any foreign languages), looks up confused. He knows Annie "well enough". She hangs out with Reiner and Marco most of the time, and he was especially close to the latter. In fact, you could almost call them best friends. That's why, in extension, he also often hangs out with Annie... even though they barely speak to each other and it always ends up badly when they do (it's not like Jean can help if that he's "obtuse", that's not his fault at all).

"Mikasa talks about you a lot. It's not hard to recognize those eyes." In his short life, Eren has heard a lot of compliments about his eyes. Usually they were accompanied by "you'd be so much more handsome if you stopped scowling all the time!", but he has heard enough of them to stop finding it interesting. He knows it. His eyes are large, a vibrant green, and they gleam with determination more often than not. He knows it, but the way she says it - so unabashedly, so simply - almost makes him blush. He ends up staring at her way too long, so that even Jean realizes something.

She walks away, not bothered by his stare or her own comment, not even by Jean's grin. 

"Crushing on Annie, eh?" 

"Shut up! I don't even know her." The way he says it is almost sulkily, and Jean has to admit he thinks it's cute. Not Eren, but the way he acts. That's why he comes up with a plan almost immediately (and feels quite proud of it, too).

"If you help me find that jewelry - which is why we were here to begin with, I'll help you with Annie," Jean says.  _Oh, yeah, so that's why we gathered here,_ Eren thinks. Seeing how it was interjected, it doesn't seem like he was the only one who has forgotten it (which makes him feel slightly better). 

"Y'know," Eren says, pausing to sip at his cola. The carbonated drink burns at his chapped lips (one more reason why he hates the cold), but he's thirsty so it really doesn't matter, "that's a really good plan, Jean."

Jean doesn't bother thinking about why his ears tingle when he hears his name. He must be happy that he found a new friend. Surely.

* * *

The plan starts the next day (a friday), when Eren confidently makes his way to Jean's group of friends. Luckily, it's a small group and Annie's the only girl. He might've felt a bit more awkward if Jean had been surrounded by girls like he usually was. Jean motions to their table, the big wave of his arm more than a little silly. Eren knows he does it to be irritating, and he feels good when he realizes his only response was a frown.

"This is Reiner, that is Marco, and you know bitchtits by now." Annie does not react well to the nickname and slams her fist onto the table. Eren can hear the power behind the hit. _One of those would probably knock Jean out cold. Wish she did that instead._ What he doesn't realize is how, while he didn't speak out loud, he did hum appreciably. Jean looks ready to murder both of them, Marco sighs heavily (albeit he doesn't look the tiniest bit aggravated. What a guy), Reiner laughs brightly and dissolves all pressure. 

"Jean told us about you, it seems like he was right. You're alright, Eren!" he says.

Eren sneaks a peek at Annie, who has the smallest grin on her face imaginable, so small that it may have been Eren's wishful thinking. It would be nice if it was true, though. The group doesn't seem to mind his presence at all and they have a nice conversation, filled with more than one jab (Eren and Jean may be considered "friends" by now, but that didn't mean they wouldn't act antagonistic every chance possible). Annie doesn't say a lot, which doesn't surprise Eren. He had already thought her to be a solemn girl by the way she acted the day before. He didn't mind it either. It was a good contrast with Jean and Marco, who couldn't stop talking once they started. 

* * *

At night, Eren calls Armin. They've been best friends for so long, and not a day goes by before one calls the other or the other way around. Armin is probably the smartest person Eren has ever met before, but he's also one of the most compassionate. He really is the best friend anyone could wish for (and although he doesn't say it often, Eren thinks he's immensely lucky to have someone as Armin by his side).

"Hey, Eren, I was just about to call you," Armin says. There's a sound of water in the background and some footsteps, followed by someone sitting down on an old chair or sofa. Eren thinks about mentioning it, but the joke is lost in his head as he realizes Armin sounds exhausted.

"You should get some early rest today," Eren says, and he doesn't feel like talking about his day anymore. It seems like such an egoistical thing to do when Armin has probably had such a long day. 

"Don't worry about me. How did things go with Jean?" That's just like Armin, remembering the name of someone briefly talked about the day before, someone whose name was only mentioned once, even. It makes Eren feel special that Armin isn't just biding his time while Eren rambles about this or that, but that he's actually listening closely to everything he says. That's another thing he loves about his best friend.

He tells the whole story. He talks about Jean's friends (who are kind-of-maybe-he-hopes-so his friends now) and of the things they talked about. He talks about Annie and her actions, about her soft voice, and about the grin she may have had. In return, Armin talks about his own day. He had to solve an extremely difficult sequence that day and on top of that, he had to finish an assignment in the library. As Eren previously thought, he had only been home for minutes. 

Time passes and eventually Eren advices Armin to go to sleep (again) before hanging up. He doesn't have to work during the weekend, luckily, and he had been invited to hang out with Jean's group during the afternoon again. Following his own advice, he goes to bed, remembering that he has lunch with Mikasa, too. He wants to ask her about Annie, too. 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is going to feature the entrance of Mikasa, and (if things go as I'm currently planning them), there's going to be some development when it comes to Eren. 
> 
> As I've said before, criticism is always welcome! If I wrote things wrong, if the story's lacking something (like description or characterization), or if there's anyone completely OOC, then please tell me. 
> 
> A thanks to everyone who has taken some time out of their lives to read this story. An extra thanks goes out to those who went further and gave me kudos or commented. That's really sweet of you and I appreciate it. 
> 
> I don't know when I'll update, but it'll probably be tomorrow or the day after that (can you tell I want to kick the story in action? Haha).


End file.
